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Canada Opens Door To Chinese Dissidents

HONG KONG — Canada is willing to accept Chinese dissidents who need to leave Hong Kong before China takes over next year, the Canadian foreign minister said Monday.

As a British colony, Hong Kong long was a haven for Chinese dissidents fleeing persecution. About 80 dissidents and family members, fearing reprisals when China assumes control on July 1, are believed to need somewhere else to live.

Canada's minister for foreign affairs, Lloyd Axworthy, said he met Hong Kong Gov. Chris Patten on Sunday and offered to help people Hong Kong officials think "would need to find visas to other countries."

Britain has offered to take some dissidents and has asked other countries to assist. All are expected to get asylum before next year's handover.

Axworthy did not say how many dissidents Canada is being asked to take.

About 100,000 people in Hong Kong are thought to have Canadian passports, and more than 500,000 people of Hong Kong origin already are living in Canada, he said.